NHS FALL PLANT SALE

NHS FALL PLANT SALE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, NOON TO 6:00 PM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 9:00 AM TO 2:00 PM Lisa Irwin

A wide selection of beautiful perennials is available

at the NHS Fall Plant Sale September 17 and 18 (Ann LeVasseur)

Hooray! It’s NHS Fall Plant Sale

time again! Come join us on Friday,

September 17, from noon to 6:00 pm

and Saturday, September 18, from

9:00 am to 2:00 pm for one of the

regions largest fall plant sale extrava¬

ganzas. The sale takes place again at

Hangar 30, Warren G. Magnuson Park,

7400 Sand Point Way in Seattle. We will

feature more than 35 specialty nurseries

from around the Northwest. Each of our

guest nurseries will offer terrific plants,

horticultural knowledge, and perhaps

even some grower gossip!

Fall is a great time for planting. As

the temperatures lessen and the rains

begin, plants have a much easier time

developing root growth. When spring

finally comes the plants will be well on

their way. We expect a good selection of

plants that will benefit from fall planting,

as well as many that will provide an

awesome fall display.

As you walk your grounds, look for

spots that need some revamping, rejuve¬

nating, or just a dash of pizazz. Perhaps

your pots need their fall frocks, or your

friends’ gardens need some help. Take

some pictures of these spots and pots

und bring them with you to the plant

4ale; then get some great suggestions

from our volunteers and growers.

We still need lots of volunteers. By

volunteering you can get a first peek

at this year’s hot plants for fall, make

some great purchases, and also have fun

working alongside fellow NHS mem¬

bers. Many areas need to be staffed, so

whether you’re energetic and muscular,

or just need a chair to sit in while you

work, we definitely have a spot for you.

Most of our volunteers at the end of their

shift say, “You can count on me again

next year!” As usual, Lois Willman will

be coordinating our volunteers, so be

sure to contact her at merriam@

scattercreek.com to get signed up.

One of the most popular areas for

discovering great plant bargains is the

member donations table. Please help us

out and bring joy to a gardener’s heart by

donating your garden treasures. ►

NORTHWEST HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY ~ FALL 2010

NHS FALL PLANT SALE .. . continued from page 1

Then watch your kindness grow! Please pot, water, and label

your plants. You can deliver them to the sale on Friday,

September 17, between 9:00 am and noon.

If you need any help with delivery of plant donations or have

any questions, please call Michelle Scannell at: 206-226-9899

(cell) or 425-486-0174 (office), or e-mail GardenDesignz@

hotmail.com. In addition, Sue Dickson is our Plant Sale Chair,

and her telephone number is 206-799-6513.

The Fall Plant Sale is NHS’s largest fundraiser of the year.

The money raised goes to support our education program and

allows us to provide grants to the Elisabeth Miller Library

and other non-profit organizations that further horticultural

education and related activities. H

For further information on the plant sale and directions to

Magnuson Park, visit our website at www.northwesthort.org.

Lisa Irwin is an NHS board member.

2010 NHS PLANT SALE VENDORS

Blue Frog Garden Nursery: Perennials, groundcovers, shrubs,

trees, azaleas

Botanica: Uncommon and underused perennials

Bouquet Banque Nursery: Fat, juicy, healthy, 2-gallon perennials

Chimacum Woods: Species rhododendrons

DeGro Flower & Garden: Uncommon perennials

and some temperennials (tender

perennials often sold as annuals)

Elemental Plants: Predominantly PNW

native plants, specializing in trees and

shrubs

Fairmeadow Nursery: Evergreen oaks,

perennials, NW native trees, and shrubs

Far Reaches Farm: Unusual perennials and

bulbs, drifting into a few woodies and

alpines

Foliage Gardens: Ferns and related plants

Glenwood Gardens: Shrubs, dwarf stuff,

conifers, and perennials

Keeping It Green Nursery: Hardy orchids,

unusual woodlanders, and hard-to-find

natives

Lael’s Moon Garden Nursery: Trees,

shrubs, edibles, and select perennials

Lee Farm & Nursery: Trees, shrubs,

perennials, grasses, and hardy fuchsias

4 Madrona Nursery: Special perennials and some native plants

Mount Forest Farm/Robyn’s Nest Nursery: Hostas, ferns, and

shade perennials

MSK Rare Plant Nursery: Native and rare plants adaptable to the

Pacific Northwest

Munro’s Nursery: Hardy perennials, trees, shrubs, and shade-

tolerant plants

Naylor Creek Nursery: Hostas, epimediums, asarums, cimicifugas,

and shade perennials

Old Goat Farm: Perennials for sun or shade

Overland Enterprises: Drought-tolerant perennials for sun or

shade

Pan’s Garden: Sedums, sempervivums, and specialty perennials

Perennial Pleasures: Ferns, sempervivums, ground covers, and

other perennials

Ramble on Rose Perennials: Perennials

Rhododendron Species Foundation: Species rhododendrons

Robinwood Nursery: Eclectic selection of perennials, grasses,

fuchsias, and shrubs

Steamboat Island Nursery: Temperennials, uncommon perennials,

shrubs, vines, and grasses

Taking Root Nursery: Unusual perennials, hostas, ornamental

grasses, and ferns g~

The Desert Northwest: Cold-hardy desert plants. Southern V

Hemisphere natives, and subtropicals

White Picket Gardens: Unusual perennials, drought-tolerant

plants, salvias, and hebes

Wind Poppy Farm & Nursery: Grasses, sedges, rushes, water

plants, and perennials

2

^/arcfe/moits

PLANTS TO SEEK OUT AT THE NHS FALL PLANT SALE

Rizanino “Riz”Reyes

It’s been stressed time and

again that autumn is the best time

to plant so many things. From

spring blooming perennials and

bulbs, to hardy trees and shrubs,

the NHS Fall Plant Sale has tradi¬

tionally offered some of the finest,

most diverse selection of plant

material anywhere. But where

does a gardener, both novice and

professional, even begin? Well,

as you wait for the doors to open

with your box in hand ready to

fill, think about what your current gar¬

dening situation is. What’s lacking? What

did so well that you have to have more of

it? And, OK—admit it—what died and

Jeft a gap in your design that you either

want to try again or find something com¬

pletely new and different? Here are some

plants that I can recommend to anyone.

Great Grasses Galore!

Early fall is a fabulous time to seek out

ornamental grasses because they are in

full leaf and, if they are known to flower,

their plumes and panicles are seem¬

ingly effervescent and simply irresistible.

Look out for switchgrasses like Panicum

virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ with its thin blue-

green blades tipped in deep red and the

striking Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gold Bar’

that is invaluable to light up any spot as

a specimen.

“Mum’s” the Word

I can’t get enough of the lovely Chry¬

santhemum ‘Apricot’ as it continues to be

sought after when people see it in bloom.

Often it’s a hard sell when not in flower,

but by the end of October, the profusion

Jbf single, soft apricot-pink flowers is quite

charming. It’s so hardy and super easy to

top left: Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’

top right: Chrysanthemum ‘Apricot’

bottom: Cyclamen hederifolium

grow; you’ll enjoy it every single autumn

for many years to come.

Fantastic Foliage and Fruit

Many growers are beginning to carry

edibles so seek out some wonderful

blueberries to plant this fall. The fall

color on some of these plants is astound-

ingly bright and eye-catching. Vaccinium

‘Sunshine Blue’ and V. ‘Top Hat’ are two

dwarf selections that are ideal for the

small garden and even in containers. Get

a head start this fall, and you’ll have a

bumper crop of sweet and nutritious

berries next summer!

Clamoring for Cyclamen

These dainty little treasures are readily

available and come in so many different

leaf patterns, it’s hard to choose

and buy just one. Cyclamen

hederifolium is outstanding for

a tough, dry shade environment

where they thrive happily with

very little care. You can look for

these in bloom during the plant

sale.

Falling for Fothergilla

No one can deny or overlook

the intensity of color fothergilla

brings to the landscape come fall.

This handsome shrub is easy to grow if

given moderate moisture, full sun, and

fertile, well-drained soil. Look for the

dwarf Fothergilla gardenii and the popu¬

lar variety ‘Mt. Airy’.

A Plea for Peonies

Early fall is prime time for planting

and transplanting peonies (both the bush

and “tree” forms), but many vendors may

not offer plants because they’re often just

beginning to die down and not look so

great. But, if you see them understand

that by planting them in the fall you’re

assured a safe transition into your garden,

and you’ll be rewarded by those extrava¬

gant, late spring flowers for many years.

There is a multitude of things to see

at the 2010 NHS Fall Plant Sale. This

article just begins to scratch the surface

of the fantastic selection that is available.

Remember that fall is a wonderful time

to plant and really get a head start in the

season to make next spring a little less

hectic. Happy shopping! El

Rizanino “Riz” Reyes runs RHR

Horticulture and a specialty nursery called

Landwave Gardens, in Shoreline, WA. He

can be reached at [email protected].

3


NARCISSUS PLANTING EXPERIMENT Judy Redmond

*

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o’er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

-From Daffodils (1804) by William Wordsworth

I had romantic visions about “a host of golden daffodils...

fluttering and dancing in the breeze” when I set out last

October to plant masses of narcissus under some conifer and

deciduous trees on the south end of my 2.5 acre property

in bucolic Woodinville, Washington. The four areas, which

were later expanded to six, were weedy and slightly bermed

and cried out for some bright spring color. One of my friends

volunteered to go the Arboretum’s Fall Bulb and Plant Sale on

their opening day and buy some of their best naturalizing

narcissus bulbs for me to try out. I bought between 10 and

20 bulbs of each variety.

Below is a table that lists the varieties I used with their

descriptions and photos. I also assigned each variety a symbol

for the planting plan.

NAME

Narcissus ‘Flower

Carpet’

Narcissus ‘Jetfire’

Narcissus

‘W.P. Milne’

Narcissus

‘Jack Snipe’

Narcissus

‘Pipit’

Narcissus

‘Sweetness’

Narcissus

‘Ice Wings’

Narcissus ‘Actaea’

Description

18-20”, midseason, bright

yellow trumpet.

10”, early to mid, yellow

and orange reflexed petals

give blooms a look of

“jetting.”

5-6”, early-midseason,

creamy white trumpet with

twisty petals.

6-8”, midseason, intermedi¬

ate flowers with swept back

white petals and a yellow

cup.

14-16”, midseason, 2-3

yellow flowers per stem,

but cup turns white.

12-14”, midseason, golden yellow flower has superb fragrance.

10-12”, early, 2 or 3 ivory flowers per stem.

15-17”, mid/late, large white flowers with a red rimmed cup.

Now for the hard work! I asked my

contractor friend Jeff, who had installed

my pond in 2004, to help me finish the

project. Here are the steps we took.

Step 1 - Make a Plan

I prepared a planting plan for each area

placing the taller narcissus behind the

shorter ones in the sunniest spot.

(o) Htnssus rfmmr tefcf (D e)

(■) Alarcajxa Adas

Abrcow 7(t*n

O H*X«**'w»

Step 2 - Prepare the Soil

Jeff used his Kubota tractor to scrape the

weeds out of the way. Then he dug some

fairly large holes and mixed in some good

three-way topsoil consisting of loamy soil,

peat moss, and compost processed through

a 1/2 inch screen.

Step 3 - Fertilize and Plant

Next I added a bulb fertilizer and placed

the bulbs in their proper locations.

Step 4 - Cover with Wood Chips

We had recently had a tree cut down

and six stumps ground up so we had about

two yards of free wood chips to place over

the bermed areas. Wood chips are made

from wood debris, limbs, and tree and bush

trimmings that have been sent through a

chipper. As a mulch, wood chips provide

many benefits such as saving money due to less frequent water¬

ing, reduction in the amount of weeds, protection of the root

structures, and nourishment to the soil as it decomposes.

Step 5 - Enjoy the Daffodils!

Beginning in late March and

blooming into May, we had a suc¬

cession of colorful daffodils to enjoy.

I’m hoping that every year these

bulbs will naturalize so I’ll have

more and more daffodils to enjoy in the future. The photo above

shows ‘Sweetness’, ‘Jet Fire’, and ‘Actaea.

So this autumn, try out some different spring bulb plantings;

you’ll be delighted with the results come springtime. SH I Judy Redmond is the editor o/Garden Notes.

4

^yy/Cl/'cJc aroen notes

HORTICULTURE’S HIGHER CALLING Lorene Edwards Forkner

Most of us know the soothing balm a garden offers to

gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Today hospitals, therapy

practices, and a wide variety of retreat centers are also recog¬

nizing the power of plants to comfort, calm, and de-stress. I

was fortunate to witness the development of two therapeutic

garden projects over the past several months.

Childrens PlayGarden

(Kathy Stichin)

Right; Fisher House

(Lorene Edwards Forkner)

Hopefully, you’ve caught

the buzz about the Seattle

Children’s PlayGarden. In

2002, executive director

Liz Bullard, a speech and

language pathologist, noting a lack of fun and play in the lives

of families with special needs kids, dreamed of an environment

devoted to providing children of all abilities full access to the

great outdoors with room to safely explore, learn, and create. By

2006, the PlayGarden had entered into a public/private partner¬

ship with the Seattle City Council. Master plans were drawn up

for the garden and associated facilities by Winterbottom Design

Inc., under the leadership of principal Daniel Winterbottom.

This past May, NHS hosted a somewhat-soggy but success¬

ful fundraising auction that procured $30,000 towards “putting

the garden in the PlayGarden.” Today the gardens are a beauti¬

ful, botanical crowning touch to years of creative planning, site

development, and building. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony

in June, kids frolicked while grownups chatted and laughed in

spite of drizzle and chilly gray skies. Nothing could dampen

the infectious good humor and glee as kids and their families

explored the newly planted gardens and romped on the rubber-

coated, bouncy climbing mount that erupts in a glittering

runnel of water spilling down its side that no one, regardless

of age, can resist playing in.

Meanwhile, a quieter, peaceful, more soothing, and con¬

templative healing garden is taking root on the grounds of the

Fisher House on the VA’s Puget Sound campus. The Fisher

House is a private, comfortable, home-like lodging facility for

families of veterans being treated at the VA hospital.

Sparked by the energy of Friends of Fisher House board mem¬

ber Pat Norikane-Logerwell, The Healing Garden is a result of the

collaborative efforts of Winterbottom’s UW landscape architec¬

ture design/build class and an advisory committee made up of

Fisher House staff, guests, and a small group of landscape design

professionals including me. The students were given a design

brief to create a landscape that would soothe and help to heal and

restore soldiers and their families. Together, we reviewed and

worked to formulate the final garden design in a process that was

profoundly moving and a privilege to participate in.

In only a few short weeks the formerly sedate and somewhat

commercial space around the Fisher House has been utterly

transformed. Sensory gardens planted with herbs, fragrant

flowers, and cushy groundcovers enliven and soften the new

pathways and seating areas. Covered shelters offer privacy and

retreat as well as communal gathering space for yoga classes

and family time together. Community support and generous

in-kind donations, as well as the tireless work of the students,

have brought the garden to life.

Gardens are magical. Mother Nature offers a subtle, soothing

touch or shocks us with brilliant color and the laughter of

children. Powerful stuff we gardeners intuitively know, but

perhaps need to be reminded of now and then. For more

information on how you can support and sustain these healing

gardens check out these websites. 11

Fisher House: www.fisherhousevaps.org/healing-garden.asp

Seattle Children’s PlayGarden: www.childrensplaygarden.

org/index.php

Read more about Lorene Edwards Forkner’s work and follow her

antics at plantedathome.com.

5


VOLUNTEER PROFILE:

DEBORAH HEG Dominique Emerson

“I’ve ordered seeds from England—

hellebores.” And thus another NHS

board member has traveled down

the slippery slope from ordinary

gardener to focused enthusiast.

How do they all get like this?

To hear it from Deborah Heg,

the journey has been a slow

adventure with several pauses

along the way.

Deborah Heg is chair of

the Miller Library Commit¬

tee, a role she takes seriously.

She and her committee work to

raise funds to support the library,

and endeavor to keep NHS members

informed of all the great services the

library offers to gardeners. Her involve¬

ment with NHS began as a consumer,

next as a cashier at plant sales, then as

member of the committee for selecting

new board members. She came for the

plants and stayed because of the people

and the organization.

Before moving to the Pacific North¬

west, Deborah had a casual interest in

gardening, though a gardening grand¬

mother and a father with a forestry

degree may have passed on a garden¬

ing seed that was waiting for the right

circumstances to sprout. A move to

Whidbey Island and a lucky new friend¬

ship triggered the gene.

Deborah’s muse was Holly Turner,

a friend and avid gardener, who chal¬

lenged her to really learn gardening or

be a dilettante (said scornfully). And

where did one go in the mid-nineties

to learn? Heronswood, of course! She

still has all the class notes in their clear

binders, complete with menus and class

Dominique Emerson is a garden

designer on Whidbey Island.

attendees. Many of the people she has

met in NHS were in those classes—a

generation of “Heronistas.”

Deborah leverages her background

in interior design in the garden,

mixing texture and leaf color with

intriguing discoveries. These

design skills emerge in her garden

through handsome trellises, un¬

usual pots, and well-placed rocks.

Joined by her talented husband

Jim, the garden expands beyond

unusual trees and shrubs into a

playground of art and color. Starting

with the strongest design intentions

she once exclaimed, “I will have no white

flowers in my garden,” then sheepishly

admitted that some were inevitable.

Garden advice: “Don’t cut where you

can’t see.” How many of us have reached

into a shrub intent on cutting out the

dead areas only to come out with a huge

branch with choice blooms.

Current interest: The small genus of

hellebores that she might be able to hy¬

bridize, but first she has to grow all those

seeds from England. 11

~ WELCOME NEW MEMBERS ~

Jean Amick Diane Mettler

Elaine Anderson Joan W. Parks

Vicki Bailey Leslie Sanderson

Renagene Brady Parichehr Takasaki

Danielle Ernest Wendy Walsh

Meagan McManus

HAS YOUR CONTACT INFO CHANGED?

Are you getting the monthly e-mail blasts announcing

upcoming NHS events? Getting Garden Notes

via e-mail? (If you signed up to receive it that way.)

Also make sure that you don’t have a spam filter on

blocking [email protected]. Notify Karin Kravitz

of any changes in your address or e-mail address at

[email protected].

^/arcfen n ot e s

2010 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

Ray Larson

~ THANKS TO OUR 2010 PATRONS ~ The Wednesday Evening Lecture Series would not be possible

without the tremendous support of our patrons. Their

generosity helps NHS provide a world-class educational

program for Northwest gardeners. Thank you, patrons!

2010 scholarship winner

David Hays

>

The Northwest Horticultural Society not only presents a

great monthly lecture series, we also feature a plethora of interesting

and varied classes, tours, and events. As importantly, we raise funds

for the Miller Library and offer

grants to other local groups and

organizations.

Another area that sets us

apart is our support of gradu¬

ate level education and research

in horticulture. For the last 23

years, NHS has awarded the

Elisabeth Carey Miller Scholar¬

ship to support graduate student

research at the University of

Washington. The scholarship is

supported by an endowed fund,

the accrued interest from which

is designated to the following

years award. In most years, one

or two scholarships are awarded, but some years have seen as many

as five. Past recipients include Scot Medbury, currently CEO of the

Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Sarah Reichard, professor at the UW

College of the Environments UW Botanic Gardens. Nearly 50 other

students have gone on to serve at universities, botanic gardens and

non-profits, and in business and government agencies. Each year

the Scholarship Committee solicits applications from students in

horticulture, forest resources, and landscape architecture.

In 2010, we are pleased to announce that David Hays of the

UW School of Forest Resources Center for Urban Horticulture

has been awarded a $3,000 scholarship. David’s research con¬

cerns the plant stress physiology of Rubus armeniacus (Himala¬

yan blackberry), and aims to provide insights into appropriate

methods of control for environmental restoration purposes. His

research also applies to horticultural professionals and home

gardeners, as management of Himalayan blackberry is something

most of us continue to deal with. Additionally, David will be

studying propagation methods which may provide insight into

more easily growing cultivated blackberries and raspberries with¬

out the use of chemicals. David will be giving a presentation of his

research to the membership at our annual meeting in November.

Congratulations David! H

Ray Larson is the first vice president of NHS.

Mr. & Mrs. Don G. Abel Phoebe H. Andrew Alison S. Andrews Barbara Asmervig &

Mike Thanem Douglas Bayley Charlotte Behnke Matthew Berberich Suzette & Jim Birrell Constance Bollen Elisabeth Bottler Sara Bowe Jayne Bray Carol Burton Whit Carhart G. Maria Carlos Barbara Carman Geraldine Cherry Heather & Terry Chubb Patricia Lee Church Michael J. Coie Stacie Crooks Nancy Daar Tanya Demarsh-Dodson Tina Dixon Joe Dodson Mary Drummond Sylvia Duryee Dominique Emerson Janet & Michael Endsley Cindy & David Fairbrook Carolyn Fisher Betsy Fitzgerald Kathy Fries Maren Gilliland Marilyn Glenn Sue Goetz Greg Graves—Old Goat Farm Faye Greenlee Joyce Hawkins Deborah Heg Jackie Hightower Catherine Hillenbrand Jocelyn C. Horder Darlene & Dan Huntington Lisa Irwin Carolyn Jackson Becky Johnson Ann E. Keller Kemper/Iversen, Ltd. Ann Keppler Karin Kravitz Antje Kretschmer Laura Kvasnosky Denise Lane Raymond J. Larson Barry & Susan Latter Alice Lauber Jeanne Marie Lee Dorothy Lennard Ann LeVasseur Jan Lewinsohn

Sandra Lier Toni Loomis John MacKean &

Mary Helen Krock Hans and Tina Mandt Judy Massong Gillian Mathews Pamela McAlpine McComb Gardens Shirley McEvoy Renee Montgelas Ciscoe Morris Maureen Morris Sue Moss John & Lee Neff Charles Ogburn Sue Olsen—Foliage Gardens Mary Palmer Chitra & Zak Parpia Janet & Keith Patrick Peg Pearson Susan Picquelle Phyllis J. Pierce Dianne Poison Suzanne Ragen Ravenna Gardens Judy Redmond Pat Riehl Roberta Roberts Elsa C. Rosenkrantz Nita-Jo & Randy Rountree Marilou Rush Liz Sanborn Tia Scarce Gale Schwarb Mary Shane Barbara Sheldon Patricia L. Sheppard Jean Skerlong Meredith P. Smith Steve & Pauline Smith—

Sunnyside Nursery Daniel Sparler Carrie Sparlin Richie Steffen & Rick Peterson Philip Stoller Nancy Strahle Swansons Nursery Mary Kay Talbot Walter Thompson Marie Weiler Wendy Welch Joanne White Carolyn Whittlesey Madeleine Wilde Lois Willman Withey Price Landscape

& Design LLC Woodinville Garden Club John A. Wott Ann Wyckoff Kathryn Yerke

7


THANKS TO OUR 2010 DONORS

We wish to thank our donor mem¬

bers for their generous support.

CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS

Nancy Alvord

Joanna Beitel

Ralph & Lynn Davis

Cindy & David Fairbrook

Philip R. Stoller

SUPPORTING MEMBERS

Alice Aeschbacher

Debbie Agee Jean Amick

Phoebe Andrew

Alison Andrews

Barbara Asmervig/

Michael Thanem

Tiia Barrett

Charlotte Behnke

Ginny Brewer

Tina Dixon

Danielle Ernest

Pam Eshelman

Carolyn Fisher

Beverly Fletcher

Susan Goetz

Lynne Harrison

Mike Hayes

Diane M. Hilmo

Kurt Laidlaw

Denise Lane

Raymond Larson

Camille LaTray

Jeanne Marie Lee

Dorothy Lennard

Toni Loomis Janet McIntyre

Maureen Morris

Daniel Mount Gardens

Ann Neel

Lee C. Neff

Ann S. Ormsby

Linda Park

Barbara Peterson Pamela Peterson

Kirk & Judith Prindle

Elsa C. Rosenkrantz

Nita-Jo Rountree

Marilou Rush

Jean Skerlong

Meredith P. Smith

Daniel Sparler & Jeff Schouten

Richie Steffen & Rick Peterson

Pamela J. Trojanoski

Dennis & Dorene Tully

Linda Walz

Marie Weiler

Wendy Weyerhaeuser

Joanne White

Glenn Withey & Charles Price

Jennifer Wyatt

THE STORY OF PLANTS: MOSSES c

i

Daniel Mount

Last spring I was hiking in the Sonoran Desert with friends. The abundant winter rains

had turned the canyon we hiked verdant with willows, grasses, and mosses.

Yes, mosses.

The mosses are a highly adaptable group of plants found colonizing barren soils, stones, logs,

tree trunks, sidewalks, and roofs worldwide. If you climbed Mount Everest youd find mosses at

20,000 feet, and if you dove into Lake Tahoe youd find mosses 490 feet below the surface. They

even grow shoulder to shoulder with agaves in southwestern deserts.

Most of us, embracing the all inclusive singular “moss,” leave their sticky identification to

bryologists, the scientists who study mosses. Of the estimated 15,000 mosses worldwide the

Northwest is home to 900 making them, without a doubt, our plants.

Northwest mosses can be found forming a thin, nearly invisible protective crust on sage

land soils. On our side of the mountains they are more dramatic, draping yards-long from

trees in the rain forests. In our gardens they can be a nuisance making brick paths slippery,

weighing heavily on roofs, and taking over lawns.

Though mosses perform an invaluable role in the development of soils, they are of little

economic importance. Peat, being the sole exception, is used both as a soil amendment and

as a fuel. Even today, 20% of Irelands electrical needs are met by seven peat burning power

plants. A moss craze among the Victorians had women even trimming their hats with mosses.

Beside this madness, mosses found few other uses in industrial nations. Even among more

primitive cultures, where they were used as sanitary pads or bedding, mosses were considered

an inferior material reserved for the poor.

Paleobotanists speculate mosses, more closely related to algae than vascular plants, emerged

from the watery realm nearly 480 million years ago. These “proto mosses,” the first living things

to inhabit the rocky surface of the young Earth, could survive long periods of desiccation. Most

modern mosses have retained this trait, allowing them to “die” and resurrect as moisture returns.

Each fall I celebrate this green swelling of the mosses as much as I celebrate the turning of

the leaves. It signals the end of summers garish triumph, the end of watering. And the begin¬

ning of the winter months, like the first snowdrops in February, signals the coming of spring.

In the 1,300-year-old Saiho-ji, known as the Moss Temple, in Kyoto, Japan, 120 different

mosses create a muffled serenity. Designed as a dry garden, it is said the colonizing mosses

invented the moss garden. I know none of us are planning our gardens to last 1,300 years, so

when George Schenk, in his classic book Moss Gardening, asks, “How are you equipped with

patience?” we might shrink from the task of beginning a moss garden. Mr. Schenk offers five

methods for starting a moss garden all of which require a fair amount of passivity balanced

with a diligence generally required for roses. And no trips to the nursery.

Most mosses available in nurseries these days are actually not true mosses. Spike moss, or

selaginella, is a fern ally. Irish moss is actually a flowering plant. And Spanish moss is neither,

but is a bromeliad from the southeastern United States.

Each year I find myself growing more impatient with “hardy” agaves and more enamored

with mosses. Flirting with moss gardening is dangerous business for someone as impatient as

I am. But I’m hoping these ubiquitous little plants with a long history might teach me some¬

thing about staying power. |^|

Read more of Daniel’s thoughts on plants and gardening on his blog

www.danielmountgardens.blogspot.com.

8

cLrcfen NOTES

“FLAWLESS IN SEATTLE” PLANT LIBRARIANS’ MEETING

Brian Thompson

Librarians converge in the Miller Library for the Council on Botanical

and Horticultural Libraries meeting in May (Barney Lipscomb)

What do Harvard University,

the Royal Botanic Gardens at

Kew, and Jardin Botanique de

Montreal have in common?

All of these illustrious institu¬

tions, and many more, sent

representatives to the 42nd

annual meeting of the Council

on Botanical and Horticultural

Libraries (CBHL) hosted by the

Miller Library last May.

The 75 attending librarians

share a passion for plants and

libraries, and many have been

members for a long time. Valerie

Easton, who managed the Miller Library

when it last hosted this meeting in 1993,

noted, “It was remarkable and exciting to

see so many librarians that I’d met 25 years

ago when I attended my first conference.”

Day 1: The Seattle Public Library

Steve Lorton inspired the CBHL

members with a rousing introduction to

the people, climate, gardens, flora, and

even the humor of the Pacific Northwest.

He knew his audience, thanking us on

several occasions for the work we do as

librarians. To quote one member, “Steve

Lorton made me proud to be a bot/hort

librarian.”

Marina Princz is the librarian at the

VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver,

BC. She gave an engaging slide show of

that beautiful garden, and its exciting

future, which will include a “living build¬

ing” for the new visitors’ center. The Rem

Koolhaas designed Seattle Public Library

is itself an amazing building and a tour of

the facility was another feature of the day.

Day 2: Arboretum and Bloedel Reserve

We began a drizzly morning (welcome

to Seattle, folks!) at the Arboretum, but

this didn’t dampen the enthusiasm as the

group toured from the Visitors’ Center to

Pacific Connections. After lunch, it was

on board the ferry to Bainbridge Island,

the crossing being a high point of the

conference for many.

At the charming Indianola Clubhouse,

Dan Hinkley educated and entertained us

with a presentation on his plant hunting

trips in Asia. As one evaluator put it, Dan

is “one of our most polished and amusing

writers and speakers.”

At the Bloedel Reserve docents were

stationed to show off the gardens and

other features. A special treat was the

display of a private Bainbridge collec¬

tion of antiquarian botanical books. Even

members from libraries rich with rare

book collections, such as the Missouri

and New York Botanical Gardens, were

captivated by this collection.

A reception followed where we min¬

gled with members of the Book Club of

Washington and watched an eaglet in the

nest through a spotting telescope. A brief

rain shower chased us inside, but then

cleared to a brilliant double rainbow over

Puget Sound. A perfect PNW

moment for our visitors!

Day 3: Center for Urban

Horticulture

Valerie Easton began the

morning with an inspira¬

tional history of the Miller

Library including the horrific

days following the 2001 fire.

She remarked later, “I was

surprised to see tears in the

eyes of many of the librarians

in the front row... and then I

realized no one ... could

better understand the horror

and sense of responsibility the library staff

felt that day.” This set the stage perfectly

for the visit to the new library.

NHS Vice President Ray Larson was

the other key speaker of the day describ¬

ing the plants of Seattle before 1850. Many

of the CBHL members are keen to learn

about regional floras, so his talk was a

big hit, as was the tour of the Union Bay

Natural Area that followed. Others visited

the Suzzallo Library and the Medicinal

Herb Garden on the central UW campus.

“Flawless in Seattle”

These are only the highlights, as

seminars, workshops, business meetings,

and all important networking filled many

hours. Nearly half participated in post

conference tours of Olmsted parks in

Seattle, or the Chateau Ste. Michelle

gardens and winery in Woodinville.

In summary, the meeting was a great

success, as best expressed by an attendee

from the Chicago Botanic Garden,

“Flawless in Seattle.” E5I

Brian Thompson is the manager and

curator of horticultural literature for the

Elisabeth C. Miller Library.

9

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Quick Preserving Projects In One Hour or Less

with Lorene Edwards Forkner

Make the most of your gardens harvest and still have time to

enjoy these last lingering days of summer with quick and deli¬

cious preserving projects. Garden tour, hands-on kitchen work,

and yummy samples included... Lorene says she will clean up!

Location: Forkner Garden/West Seattle

Fee: Members: $25.00 Non-Members: $35.00 Limit: 15

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 8:30 AM-6:00 PM

Kitsap Peninsula Tour

View Puget Sound from two distinct vantage gardens. One is

a 10-acre garden with over 200 container gardens, a vegetable

garden, an ornamental garden, and a woodland trail and the

other has a spectacular vegetable garden and unique hedgerow.

The tour will also include a visit to a bed and breakfast garden

and Dragonfly Nursery.

Location: Kitsap Peninsula


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6,10:00 AM-12:00 PM Living Topiary, Hands-On, and How To!

with Sue Goetz Sue will talk about classic garden uses, traditional and not so

traditional shapes, how to incorporate topiary in garden design,

and the best plant material for shaping and creating. This is a

hands-on class; learn how to spiral a small evergreen tree to

create a tabletop topiary. Plant included in the supply fee. Dress

for the weather; bring gloves and pruners and/or scissors.

Location: /Goetz Garden/Gig Harbor


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20,10:00 AM-12:00 PM Putting the Garden to Bed with Greg Graves

Putting the garden to bed involves much more than just raking

leaves. Greg will walk you through the Miller Garden and talk

about the many things involved in this process: clean up, protect¬

ing plants, spring bulbs, moving plants, and dividing perennials.

Location: Miller Garden/The Highlands, Seattle


Lecture 7:15 Reception 6:45

NHS Hall, Center for Urban Horticulture

Members $5.00 Non-members $10.00

NO RESERVATIONS TAKEN

October 13, 2010 Designing with Elegant Silvers

Karen Bussonlini

November 10, 2010 High Concept Design Meets Sustainability

Debra Prinzing

January 12, 2011 Gardening Where We Live:

A Pacific Northwest Convergence Lucy Hardiman

Full schedule of lectures and upcoming events can be

FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE: WWW.NORTHWESTHORT.ORG

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Container Designs for Fall and Winter with Barb Libner Join Barbara Libner, Ravenna Gardens’ Container Designer &

Visual Merchandiser for a demonstration of container designs

for fall and winter. The class will focus on containers for year-

round interest with an emphasis on the upcoming season.

Location: Ravenna Gardens/University Village Seattle


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 7:30 PM

Plants Of The Chatham Islands

Gordon Sydney Collier Location: Meany Hall, University of Washington

RSVP to the Miller Library 206-543-0415 or

[email protected]

W/P tin

SEATTLE CHILDREN’S PLAYGARDEN

GIVE & GROW LUNCHEON

Honoring Dr. Pamela Mullens Thursday, September 30,11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

LOCATION: THE W HOTEL, SEATTLE

NHS will be honored for its contribution to the PlayGarden. Join

NHS at a members table for this event to raise funds for innova¬

tive programs for children with special needs and their families.

CONTACT KARIN KRAVITZ 206-780-8172 OR

[email protected]

~ PACIFIC HORTICULTURE PRESENTS ~

__

Gardening Under Mediterranean Skies VIII Symposium

Style & Whimsy in the Sustainable Garden

September 23-26, 2010

Pasadena, California

See http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/education-events/

gardening-under-mediterranean-skies-viii/

&V

-0

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Hans Mandt

After several years, our back hillside is filling out nicely. It has been my attempt

at “New Perennial” style using grasses and a selection of prairie perennials. Three

years on, Stipa gigantea planted in the center of the hillside is becoming a major

feature and in another year or two it will steal the show. Other grasses include

Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’,

Sophie Milium effusum ‘Aureum’ (Bowles Golden Grass), and Calamagrostis arundinacea var.

brachytricha. On the left side of the hill is a large “waterfall” of variegated hakonechloa

which we kept from the previous scheme. Interspersed among the grasses are perennials which include

two echinaceas: ‘Sundown’ (dark orange) and ‘Harvest Moon’ (yellow), helianthus and heleniums, Salvia

nemorosa ‘Caradonna, kniphofias, perovskia, and Geranium ‘Johnson’s Blue’. Two

selections of Aster xfrikartii add flowers late into the fall.

In the upper woodland the species lilies have just finished now. Lilium canadense, L. lankongense, L.

majoense, L. nepalense, L. primulinum, and L. regale have all been growing into wonderful large clumps

over the past several years, and I purchased all of them from vendors at our plant sales. Keep an eye out for

them at the fall sale in September. The hydrangeas are at their prime and it is going to be hard to edit them

over the next several years as they grow to mature size (4 to 6 feet); however, one that definitely will stay is

a spectacular selection from Japan, Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Izu No Hana. A lace cap hydrangea with discs

of fertile deep blue flowers surrounded by double, sterile florets of sky blue, fading to lavender, this is a

plant to die for.

Our recent fundraising event, the garden party at Denise Lane’s amazing garden in Medina, was a

beautifully orchestrated event and very successful. It was sold out at 100 people and NHS benefited to the

tune of over $6,300. Besides the evocative garden, we were treated to a delicious luncheon of salads and

almon followed by desserts that caused me to eat way too much. Thank you, Denise, for your generosity

and special thanks to all the board members and volunteers who prepared the food and kept everyone well

fed and quaffed.

This is my last President’s Message as my term will end before the winter newsletter goes to press. Shortly before becoming president,

I gave Tina a birthday present: a wonderful puppy, flown in from Denmark, which she named Sophie. Sophie has become my walking

companion every morning as we walk past CUH and through the university campus. She has met the staff of the Miller Library and has

also met a number of the members of the board. Sophie helps me garden and has a favorite plant, hakonechloa. She never passes one up

without taking a bite of it. Good thing I’ve planted a lot of it. If you see us together, stop and say “Hi” to Sophie; she’ll love meeting you.

In closing, let me thank all of our board and the many volunteers who help make NHS function so well. Their dedication is most

appreciated. Most of all, let me thank you, our members, who bring your friends and attend our many functions. You help make this

organization a thriving horticultural community. Hi

Hans Mandt is the president of NHS.

EDITOR Judy Redmond

[email protected]

DESIGNERS Judy Redmond and

Constance Bollen

cb graphics, [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ISSUE:

Lorene Edwards Forkner

Dominique Emerson

Lisa Irwin

Karin Kravitz

Ray Larson

Ann LeVasseur

Hans Mandt

Daniel Mount

Judy Redmond

Riz Reyes

Nita-Jo Rountree

Richie Steffen

Brian Thompson

PRINTER Mike Klinke,

Impression Printing

NHS MEMBERS AND THEIR FRIENDS FLOCK TO MEET THE BOARD TOURS

Once again, the NHS Meet the Board tour delighted crowds of members and their

friends who enjoyed the spectacular gardens on both the South Sound and the Seattle

area tours. Congratulations to Virginia Tripp and Trish Briggs, winners of the one year

free NHS membership for a current member and non-member, respectively.

Additionally, a big thank you goes to the members who opened their gardens for

he tours. As you know, getting a garden ready for a tour followed by greeting guests is

exhausting, so we all greatly appreciate their efforts. 11

NHS board member Marie Weiler’s

garden from the Seattle

Meet the Board Tour

11

Northwest Horticultural Society

P.O. Box 4597

Rolling Bay, WA 98061-4597

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID

Seattle, WA

Permit No. 4842 i

ELISABETH C. MILLER LIBRARY

UW Botanic Gardens

Box 3541 15

Seattle, WA o£p 0 J pnf* 98195-4115 u,u

Sedum telephium ssp. ruprechtii with Allium cristophii and Eryngium giganteum

“For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad.”

Edwin Way Teale, 1899-1980, American naturalist, photographer, and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer.

Web: www.northwesthort.org $ E-mail: [email protected]

Bridgeport National Bindery, Inc.

MAR. 2015

Documents

NHS FALL PLANT SALE